This blog is a collection of notes that reflect personal experiences in systems and network administration. "Let all things be done securely."

Friday, April 15, 2005

Microsoft Security: Right direction?

The biggest problem with Windows security has always been that it is nearly impossible to run as a non-administrator when performing normal operations. It is possible, but it is very difficult. With it being so difficult to run as a non-administrator, most users run with full system privileges all the time which brings their system(s) under attack from every web page they visit and every email they open. Windows experts have instructed users to 'down-grade' their privileges when using their browser or email client, which is never done due to the additional steps that it takes to accomplish this seemingly simple task -- this is backwards, you should have to elevate your privileges to perform privileged functions!!

Microsoft has made some big strides in improving this model of operation recently with the 'Run-As' command but it has also been difficult to use. With the next release of Windows coming up, code-named Longhorn, Microsoft is embracing the principle of Least-privilege User Account (LUA). The principle of LUA has long been enforced in the Unix/Linux worlds with all users being able to control their own profile and nothing else or an account having access to control one daemon or service except the root user who is used to perform administrative functions. I am anxious to see how Microsoft does in this implementation, although I do expect it will take a few tries to get it right. This may turn into another version of the same thing we have now -- with there being 15 different levels of administrator and the Limited Account that still cannot function.